Using video to encode assets for swivel/360-degree spinners

ABSTRACT

A method and system for video encoding assets for swivel/360-degree spinners is disclosed. Still images of a 3D object from different perspectives about the 3D object may be stacked and then video encoded to generate video frames of the object from the different perspectives. The video-encoded assets may be stored on a server or other network-connected device, and later retrieved by a connected client device for display processing by a swivel/360-degree spinner on the client device. The swivel/360-degree spinner may utilize native video processing capabilities of the client device and/or of a browser running on the client device to display video motion of the object moving through different angular orientations in response to movement of an interactive cursor.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional of, and claims priority to, U.S.application Ser. No. 13/675,849, filed on Nov. 13, 2012, which is herebyincorporated in its entirety herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in thissection are not prior art to the claims in this application and are notadmitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

Various technologies can be utilized to provide users with electronicaccess to data and services in communication networks, as well as tosupport communication between users. For example, devices such ascomputers, telephones, and personal digital assistants (PDAs) can beused to exchange information over communication networks including theInternet. Communication networks may in turn provide communication pathsand links to servers, which can host applications, content, and servicesthat may be accessed or utilized by users via communication devices. Thecontent can include text, video data, audio data and/or other types ofdata.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In one aspect, an example embodiment presented herein provides a methodcomprising: generating a respective still image of a three-dimensional(3D) object from each of a multiplicity of perspectives corresponding todifferent 3D angular orientations about the 3D object, each respectivestill image comprising respective data for display on a display device,and each being one of a plurality of still images of the 3D object;determining an ordering of the multiplicity of perspectivescorresponding to minimally differential changes in 3D angularorientation from one of the different 3D angular orientations to thenext; constructing a sequence of still images by ordering successivestill images of the plurality in correspondence to the determinedordering of the multiplicity of perspectives; and encoding the sequenceof still images with a video encoder to generate a compressedvideo-format rendering of the sequence of still images, wherein thecompressed video-format rendering of the sequence of still images issmaller in total data volume than a sum of all of the still images ofthe sequence.

In another aspect, an example embodiment presented herein provides amethod comprising: responsive to a request transmitted from a computerdevice to a server communicatively connected to the computer device,receiving by the computer device a video file comprising video frames ofa compressed video-format rendering of a sequence of still images of athree-dimensional (3D) object viewed from each of a multiplicity ofperspectives corresponding to different 3D angular orientations aboutthe 3D object; displaying by the computer device an image of the 3Dobject in a display window on a display device of the computer device;and responsive to an interactive cursor of a user interface of thecomputer device moving on one or more trajectories in the display windowwhile virtually attached to the 3D object, video processing by thecomputer device a subset of the video frames corresponding to a subsetof the multiplicity of perspectives traversed by the one or moretrajectories, in order to display animated 3D angular movement of the 3Dobject about at least one axis that passes through the 3D object.

In still another aspect, an example embodiment presented herein providesa system comprising: one or more processors; memory; andmachine-readable instructions stored in the memory, that upon executionby the one or more processors cause the system to carry out operationscomprising: generating a respective still image of a three-dimensional(3D) object from each of a multiplicity of perspectives corresponding todifferent 3D angular orientations about the 3D object, each respectivestill image comprising respective data for display on a display device,and each being one of a plurality of still images of the 3D object,determining an ordering of the multiplicity of perspectivescorresponding to minimally differential changes in 3D angularorientation from one of the different 3D angular orientations to thenext, constructing a sequence of still images by ordering successivestill images of the plurality in correspondence to the determinedordering of the multiplicity of perspectives, and encoding the sequenceof still images with a video encoder to generate a compressedvideo-format rendering of the sequence of still images, wherein thecompressed video-format rendering of the sequence of still images issmaller in total data volume than a sum of all of the still images ofthe sequence.

In yet another aspect, an example embodiment presented herein provides asystem comprising: one or more processors, including one or more videoprocessors; memory; and machine-readable instructions stored in thememory, that upon execution by the one or more processors cause thesystem to carry out operations comprising: receiving a video filecomprising video frames of a compressed video-format rendering of asequence of still images of a three-dimensional (3D) object viewed fromeach of a multiplicity of perspectives corresponding to different 3Dangular orientations about the 3D object, displaying an image of the 3Dobject in a display window on the display device, and responsive to aninteractive cursor of a user interface of the computer device moving onone or more trajectories in the display window while virtually attachedto the 3D object, video processing with the one or more video processorsa subset of the video frames corresponding to a subset of themultiplicity of perspectives traversed by the one or more trajectories,in order to display on the display device animated 3D angular movementof the 3D object about at least one axis that passes through the 3Dobject.

In still one more aspect, an example embodiment presented hereinprovides an article of manufacture including a computer-readable storagemedium, having stored thereon program instructions that, upon executionby one or more processors of a system, cause the system to performoperations comprising: generating a respective still image of athree-dimensional (3D) object from each of a multiplicity ofperspectives corresponding to different 3D angular orientations about anthe 3D object, each respective still image comprising respective datafor display on a display device, and each being one of a plurality ofstill images of the 3D object; determining an ordering of themultiplicity of perspectives corresponding to minimally differentialchanges in 3D angular orientation from one of the different 3D angularorientations to the next; constructing a sequence of still images byordering successive still images of the plurality in correspondence tothe determined ordering of the multiplicity of perspectives; andencoding the sequence of still images with a video encoder to generate acompressed video-format rendering of the sequence of still images,wherein the compressed video-format rendering of the sequence of stillimages is smaller in total data volume than a sum of all of the stillimages of the sequence.

In yet one more aspect, an example embodiment presented herein providesan article of manufacture including a computer-readable storage medium,having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by oneor more processors of a system, cause the system to perform operationscomprising: responsive to a request transmitted from the system to aserver communicatively connected to the system, receiving by the systema video file comprising video frames of a compressed video-formatrendering of a sequence of still images of a three-dimensional (3D)object viewed from each of a multiplicity of perspectives correspondingto different 3D angular orientations about the 3D object; displaying animage of the 3D object in a display window on a display device of thesystem; and responsive to an interactive cursor of a user interface ofthe computer device moving on one or more trajectories in the displaywindow while virtually attached to the 3D object, video processing bythe system a subset of the video frames corresponding to a subset of themultiplicity of perspectives traversed by the one or more trajectories,in order to display animated 3D angular movement of the 3D object aboutat least one axis that passes through the 3D object.

These as well as other aspects, advantages, and alternatives will becomeapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the followingdetailed description, with reference where appropriate to theaccompanying drawings. Further, it should be understood that thissummary and other descriptions and figures provided herein are intendedto illustrative embodiments by way of example only and, as such, thatnumerous variations are possible. For instance, structural elements andprocess steps can be rearranged, combined, distributed, eliminated, orotherwise changed, while remaining within the scope of the embodimentsas claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for video encodingof assets for a swivel/360-degree spinner, in accordance with an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for displayingvideo encoded assets with a swivel/360-degree video spinner, inaccordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example network and computingarchitecture, in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 4A is a block diagram of a server device, in accordance with anexample embodiment.

FIG. 4B depicts a cloud-based server system, in accordance with anexample embodiment.

FIG. 5 depicts a block diagram of a client device, in accordance with anexample embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates view a 3D object from different perspectives along aplanar path about the 3D object, in accordance with an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual illustration of video encoding and compression ofa sequence of images of a 3D object from a multiplicity of perspectives,in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a further conceptual illustration of video encoding andcompression of a sequence of images of a 3D object from a multiplicityof perspectives, in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a conceptual illustration of video encoding and compression ofa sequence of images of a 3D object from a multiplicity of perspectivesalong curves in different planes that pass through the 3D object, inaccordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates the geometry of different orbital planes about a 3Dobject, in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 11 illustrates interactive rotation of an image of a 3D object in adisplay, in accordance with an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A swivel/360-degree spinner is an interactive, graphical user interface(or a tool thereof) that functions to display a three-dimensional (3D)object on a display device, and in particular, to interactivelymanipulate the display of the 3D object as the 3D object is made toappear to be continuously (or nearly continuously) rotated through avariety of angular orientations. A swivel/360-degree spinner may beimplemented in a computer device, such as desktop, laptop, smart phone,smart tablet, or other client device, and as such, may provide theinteractive function to a user of the computer device.

In practice, the interactive capability of a swivel/360-degree spinnermay be made available by way of an interactive cursor in a display of adisplay device of the computer device. For example, the interactivecursor could be controlled by a mouse or other type of physical deviceinterface. In certain embodiments of such an interactive cursor ingeneral, the cursor associated with a swivel/360-degree spinner mayinclude a capability to virtually “grab” a 3D object in the display. Theswivel/360-degree spinner could then cause the 3D object to appear torotate in the virtual 3D space of the display in an animated fashion inresponse to the cursor virtually “dragging” the 3D object throughvarious angular orientations with respect to a viewing perspective ofthe display. Other user interface paradigms may provide similarfunctionality, such as use of left-right-up-down arrows of a keyboard,motion of a joystick or similar controller, relative motion of ahand-held device (such as motion of a smart-phone on which the image isbeing displayed), and so on.

Geometrically, apparent rotational motion of a 3D object as viewed froma particular perspective can be equivalent to viewing the 3D object froma perspective that follows a path, such as an orbit, around the 3Dobject in some fashion. For example, an orbit could lie in a plane thatpasses through or near the object. In addition, there could be multipleorbits, each on a different plane. Different planes could be parallel toeach other, corresponding to different latitudes with respect to the 3Dobject. Additionally or alternatively, different planes could correspondto different meridian planes with respect to the 3D object. These arejust two examples of different orbital orientations that can result indifferent perspectives from which the 3D object may be viewed.Furthermore, a path around the 3D object could be only part of an orbit(e.g., an arc). In addition, the path need not necessarily correspond toa regular geometric figure (e.g., a conic section), but could moregenerally be an arbitrary curve having an approximate axis of rotationthat passes through or near the 3D object.

By generating images of the 3D object from multiple perspectives alongone or more paths or orbits around the 3D object, and then displayingthe generated images in an animated sequence, the 3D object can be madeto appear to rotate in correspondence with the change in perspectivefrom one image to the next. Using images from multiple paths or orbits,for example, the 3D object can be made to appear to rotate through avariety of angular orientations—possibly arbitrary and/or about multipledifferent axes that pass through or near the 3D object—corresponding toone or another sequential ordering of the images.

Taking a collection or set of such images from different perspectives,together with associated information labeling or identifying theorientation of the perspectives (e.g., angles with respect to the 3Dobject), as input, a swivel/360-degree spinner can provide interactivecontrol of the apparent angular motion of the 3D object. Moreparticularly, one or another of the trajectories of the cursor on thedisplay may be translated in one or another corresponding path orbit orpath around the 3D object, which may in turn be used to identify and/orselect corresponding images to display in animated fashion.

A conventional approach for creating images from different perspectivesaround a 3D object is to generate a separate “still” image from eachperspective. In this approach, each still image is complete by itself,and can be displayed in a display device independently of any of theother images. Note that the still images of the 3D object from thedifferent perspective could be generated photographically (e.g., fromdigital photographs), and/or using 3D graphics rendering tool (e.g.,such as a computer aided display tool).

For a conventional swivel/360-degree spinner processing using aconventional collection or set still images and ancillary information(e.g., angular orientations), input files or data streams having sizesof several (e.g. 3-10) megabytes, for example, may not be uncommon. Atthe same time, executable programs that render angular animation basedon the images can involve customized algorithms that may be slow and/ornot conveniently amenable to optimization. In some applications of aswivel/360-degree spinner, the large data sizes and/or a need forspecialized algorithms can pose certain challenges.

For example, in the context of a browser program, the collection of dataused to generate a display page, such as text, images, embedded computercode, etc., is customarily referred to as “assets.” In the case of aconventional swivel/360-degree spinner, conventional assets may includeone or more sets of images and ancillary information identifying angles,etc. In practice, assets may be stored on a server in a network, forexample, and may be retrieved and sent to a client device in response toa request to activate a swivel/360-degree spinner. As such, networktransport and associated latency may become a factor. The larger theassets, the potentially larger the latency. For some applications, suchas product advertising, latency can have a negative impact oneffectiveness. Even when latency is less of an potential drawback, assetsize may still be an issue if storage space (or lack thereof) is aconcern.

One approach that has been adopted to mitigate the possible effects oflatency is to reduce asset size by including fewer and/or smallerimages. However, fewer images can result in choppy animation of angularmotions, while smaller images can result in lower quality (e.g., lowerimage resolution). Thus, while latency associated with large asset sizemay be reduced to some extent, the quality of the rendering produced bya conventional swivel/360-degree spinner may suffer. Taking advertisingagain as an example application, a tradeoff between latency and qualitymay not yield a desirable or acceptable outcome. There may be otherapplications of a swivel/360-degree spinner for which such a tradeoff isalso problematic. Accordingly, it would be desirable to devise anapproach to generating assets for swivel/360-degree spinners, and forprocessing and displaying those assets, that can reduce latencyassociated with transmitting assets in a network, while at the same timesupporting high-quality rendering of 3D motion of 3D objects byswivel/360-degree spinners.

In accordance with example embodiments described herein, assets forswivel/360-degree spinners may be video-encoded and compressed in orderto both reduce the size of the assets, and to render them in a formsuitable for processing by one or more standard video display techniquestypically available on many computer client devices. More particularly,a sequence of still images of a 3D object viewed from multipleperspectives along a path or orbit or a portion of an orbit around the3D object may be encoded with a video encoder to generate a sequence ofvideo frames of the multiple perspectives. Since adjacent frames ofvideo data can be represented largely as just changes from one frame tothe next, video frames of the 3D object from incrementally differentperspectives can be captured in a smaller amount of data than the sum ofthe individual still images. For example, size reductions of a factor offour or more can be achieved, and without sacrificing image resolutionof number of images across a path of perspectives.

At the same time, many computer client devices may include nativesupport for processing video data according to standard video formats,such as h.264, webm, and avi, for example. In addition, many standardweb browsers include support for processing these types of standardvideo formats as well. Thus, a swivel/360-degree spinner may beimplemented using standard video hardware, firmware, and softwareavailable on many client devices. Standard video techniques not onlyenable smooth video display of a 3D object from successive perspectivesalong a path or orbit around the 3D object, but they may also enablepixel interpolations between locations of perspectives at which imagesmay not exist in the image data. In addition, by video processing imagestaken from paths in planes with different angular orientation withrespect to the 3D object, the swivel/360-degree spinner can supportswitching between different paths of perspectives.

In accordance with example embodiments, a video rendering of differentviews of a 3D object from different, successive perspectives around the3D object may be made to display the 3D object smoothly rotating aboutvarious different axes, as viewed from a particular fixed perspective.It should be understood that the term “orbit” as used herein is notnecessarily intended to describe an orbit in strict correspondence conicsections, for example, although such orbits are not excluded fromconsideration. Rather, the term is meant to convey a curved path aroundthe 3D object. The path may be closed (e.g., a circle), or open (e.g.,an arc of a circle). Other forms of paths are possible as well.

By video encoding assets for swivel/360-degree spinners, asset files canbe made small enough to allow network transmission between a serverdevice (for example) and a client device on which a swivel/360-degreespinner is implemented without incurring significant latency.Consequently, applications that utilize swivel/360-degree spinners mayexecute more effectively and efficiently than those using theconventional approach. Additionally or alternatively, the amount ofstorage space (e.g., memory) allocated on a client device for assets mayalso be reduced in comparison with conventional assets. Moreover, sincethere is no sacrifice of image resolution or of the number of framesalong a perspective path, high-quality renderings of 3D object rotationare made possible by the video-encoding approach.

In example embodiments, video encoding of assets for swivel/360-degreespinners can be implemented in a system that includes one or moreprocessors, one or more forms of memory, one or more inputdevices/interfaces, one or more output devices/interfaces, andmachine-readable instructions that when executed by the one or moreprocessors cause the system to carry out the various functions and tasksdescribed herein. In particular, the functions and tasks may form abasis for a method for both video encoding of assets forswivel/360-degree spinners, and implementing a swivel/360-degree spinnerthat uses video encoded assets. Both aspects of an example method arerespectively illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, as discussed below.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for video encodingof assets for a swivel/360-degree spinner, in accordance with an exampleembodiment. As customarily used, and as used herein, “assets” may beconsidered to be a collection of data, such as a file, a portion of afile, or a structure, for example, that include or contain informationused to render a page or a portion of a page in browser program runningon a computer device. Because assets (as used herein) typically mayinclude images of a three-dimensional (3D) object, the discussion ofFIG. 2 refers primarily to images. It will be appreciated that therecould be other data or information associated with an image of a 3Dobject, and that assets may include such information as well.

At step 102 the system generates a respective still image of a 3D objectfrom each of a multiplicity of perspectives corresponding to different3D angular orientations about the 3D object. Each respective still imagemay correspond to respective data for display on a display device. Forexample, each image could be a pixel file (or file portion) suitable fordisplay on display device (e.g., LCD display). Each image may beconsidered to be one of a plurality of still images of the 3D object,and each is a complete image that can be displayed independently ofother images of the plurality. Additional information about each imagecould include data for specifying the perspective, such as angularorientation of the perspective with respect to the 3D object, distancefrom the 3D object, etc.

At step 104 an ordering of the multiplicity of perspectives isdetermined that corresponds to minimally differential changes in 3Dangular orientation from one of the different 3D angular orientations tothe next. More particularly, each perspective may correspond to adifferent angular orientation of the perspective with respect to the 3Dobject. As such, there is a differential change in 3D angularorientation between any two perspectives. The ordering of step 104 is asequence of perspectives that corresponds to minimum differentialchanges between adjacent perspectives in the sequence. By way ofexample, the ordering could correspond to successive positions along apath or orbit or section of an orbit.

At step 106 a sequence of still images is constructed by orderingsuccessive still images of the plurality in correspondence to thedetermined ordering of the multiplicity of perspectives. That is, theorder from one still image to the next in the sequence of still imagesis the same as the order from one perspective to the next in theordering of the multiplicity determined at step 104.

Finally, at step 108 the sequence of still images is encoded with avideo encoder to generate a compressed video-format rendering of thesequence of still images. In doing so, the compressed video-formatrendering of the sequence of still images is made to be smaller in totaldata volume than a sum of all of the still images of the sequence. Thiscompression can be achieved because the ordering of still images in thesequence may be such that adjacent images of the 3D object from oneperspective to the next may be relatively similar. Accordingly, a videoencoder may encode successive images as successive video frames, inwhich each successive frame may be generated by encoding just (orlargely just) the changes from on frame to the next.

In accordance with example embodiments, generating the respective stillimage of the 3D object from each of the multiplicity of perspectivescould correspond to generating a still image of the 3D object viewedfrom each of the multiplicity of perspectives exterior to the 3D object.More particularly, the multiplicity of perspectives of the 3D object aredescribed herein as providing views of the 3D object from outside of the3D object. However, it is contemplated that the various concepts andprinciples of the example embodiments discussed herein can apply as wellto perspectives that may be obtained from inside of a 3D object, forexample looking outward. There is no loss in generality by consideringprimarily exterior perspectives of a 3D object.

In accordance with example embodiments, generating the respective stillimage of the 3D object from each of the multiplicity of perspectivescould correspond to generating a digital photograph of the 3D objectviewed from each of the multiplicity of perspectives. For example, acamera (or other still image capture device) could be moved to eachperspective location to generate the images one at a time; or the cameracould be place at a fixed location and the 3D object rotated throughdifferent orientations that correspond to the different perspectives.Additionally or alternatively, generating the respective still image ofthe 3D object from each of the multiplicity of perspectives couldcorrespond to generating a 3D visual rendering of the 3D object viewedfrom each of the multiplicity of perspectives with a computer-based 3Dgraphics tool.

In accordance with example embodiments, generating the respective stillimage of the 3D object from each of the multiplicity of perspectivescould correspond to generating each respective still image from adifferent position along a respective curved path in at least one planeperpendicular to an axis that passes through the 3D object. For examplestill images could be generated from different positions along arespective curved path in each of at least two different planesperpendicular to a common axis that passes through the 3D object. Anexample of curved paths on two such planes is curves of latitude in twolatitudinal planes having a common axis. Additionally or alternatively,still images could be generated from different positions along arespective curved path in each of at least two different planes, eachplane perpendicular to a different axis that passes through (or near)the 3D object. An example of curves paths on two such planes are curvesof longitude in two longitudinal planes (i.e., meridian planes) whosecommon intersection is an axis that passes through (or near) the 3Dobject.

As a further possibility, multiple planes could include some of eachtype of planes. For example, multiple planes could include two or moreparallel planes and one or more planes that intersect the parallelplanes. As still another example, multiple planes could include two ormore meridian planes and one or more latitudinal planes. Otherconfigurations are possible as well.

In accordance with example embodiments, determining the ordering of themultiplicity of perspectives could correspond to identifying from amongthe multiplicity a subset of perspectives that are each located within athreshold distance of a different sequential point on a respectivecurved path in at least one plane perpendicular to an axis that passesthrough the 3D object. For example, there could be a respective curvedpath in each of at least two different planes perpendicular to a commonaxis that passes through the 3D object. Again, an example of curvedpaths on two such planes is curves of latitude in two latitudinal planeshaving a common axis. Additionally or alternatively, there could be arespective curved path in each of at least two different planes, eachperpendicular to a different axis that passes through the 3D object.Again, an example of curves paths on two such planes are curves oflongitude in two longitudinal planes (i.e., meridian planes) whosecommon intersection is an axis that passes through the 3D object. Oncemore, other configurations of planar curves are possible as well.

In accordance with example embodiments, the determined ordering of themultiplicity of perspectives could be an order from a first perspectiveto a last perspective. Then, constructing the sequence of still imagesby ordering the successive still images of the plurality incorrespondence to the determined ordering of the multiplicity ofperspectives could correspond to constructing a sequence of still imagesby ordering the successive still images of the plurality incorrespondence to an ordering from the first perspective to the lastperspective.

In accordance with example embodiments, encoding the sequence of stillimages with the video encoder to generate the compressed video-formatrendering of the sequence of still images could correspond to generatinga sequence of video frames corresponding to viewing the 3D object from aparticular perspective, as the particular perspective moves in at leastone direction along a respective curved path in at least one planeperpendicular to an axis that passes through the 3D object. For example,there could be a respective curved path in each of at least twodifferent planes perpendicular to a common axis that passes through the3D object. Again, an example of curves paths on two such planes arecurves of latitude in two latitudinal planes having a common axis.Additionally or alternatively, there could be a respective curved pathin each of at least two different planes, each perpendicular to adifferent axis that passes through the 3D object. Again, an example ofcurves paths on two such planes are curves of longitude in twolongitudinal planes (i.e., planes of meridian) having whose commonintersection is an axis that passes through the 3D object.

In further accordance with example embodiments, generating the sequenceof video frames corresponding to viewing the 3D object from theparticular perspective as the particular perspective moves in the atleast one direction along the respective curved path could correspond togenerating a sub-sequence of video frames corresponding to viewing the3D object from the particular perspective as the particular perspectivemoves in the one direction along the respective curved path.

In further accordance with example embodiments, generating the sequenceof video frames corresponding to viewing the 3D object from theparticular perspective as the particular perspective moves in the atleast one direction along the respective curved path could correspond togenerating a sequence of video frames corresponding to viewing the 3Dobject from the particular perspective as the 3D object is rotated aboutthe axis. That is, while the various perspectives may correspond todifferent location about the 3D object (or virtual locations for imagesgenerated with a graphics tool, for example), the motion represented thevideo frames can be made to appear as spatial rotation of the 3D objectas viewed from a particular fixed perspective.

In accordance with example embodiments, the video encoder could beconfigured to operate according to one or more video protocols,including, for example, h.264, webm, and avi. It will be appreciatedthat the video encoder could be configured to operated according toother video protocols as well.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example method for displayingvideo encoded assets with a swivel/360-degree spinner, in accordancewith an example embodiment. The swivel/360-degree spinner could beimplemented as part of a graphical user interface on a computer device,such as a desktop or laptop computer, smart phone, or interactivedisplay tablet, for example. As such, the functions of theswivel/360-degree spinner could be considered more generally as beingcarried out by a computer device having a display device user interfacethat includes an interactive cursor, for example. The user interfacecould include the swivel/360-degree spinner, and could include afunction whereby the cursor can virtually “grab” one or more graphicalobjects in the display of the display device, and then manipulate thevirtually grabbed objects. For example, a virtually grabbed object couldbe dragged within a display region on the display. In the context ofsuch an interactive user interface, the swivel/360-degree spinner canprovide a capability of virtually rotating a grabbed 3D object throughvarious angular orientations. In the discussion below of the FIG. 2, thefunctions of the spinner are described as being carried out by acomputer device. Other techniques for controlling the displayorientation of the graphical object(s) are contemplated and within thescope of the present disclosure.

At step 202, a video file that includes video frames of a compressedvideo-format rendering of a sequence of still images of athree-dimensional (3D) object viewed from each of a multiplicity ofperspectives corresponding to different 3D angular orientations aboutthe 3D object is received in response to a request transmitted from acomputer device to a server communicatively connected to the computerdevice. The file could correspond to the encoded video created at step108 discussed in FIG. 1, for example, and could be stored on the server.The request could correspond to a selection (e.g., “clicking”) of a linkdisplayed in a page in a browser, for example. An example of such arequest is a HTTP request; other types of requests are possible as well.

At step 204, the computer device could display an image of the 3D objectin a display window on a display device of the computer device.

Finally, at step 206, an interactive cursor of a user interface of thecomputer device moves on one or more trajectories in the display windowwhile it is virtually attached to the 3D object. In response to cursormovement, angular motion of 3D object could be animated by videoprocessing by the computer device a subset of the video framescorresponding to a subset of the multiplicity of perspectives traversedby the one or more trajectories. In particular, the angular motion of 3Dobject could be animated to make the 3D object appear to rotate about atleast one axis that passes through the 3D object.

In accordance with example embodiments, the interactive cursor couldmove on the one or more trajectories in the display window while it isvirtually attached to the 3D object by first virtually grabbing the 3Dobject, and the moving on the one or more trajectories in the displaywindow. By way of example, the 3D object could be virtually grabbed inresponse to a selection by physical device interface, such a “click” ofa mouse. Other operations are possible as well.

In accordance with example embodiments, the multiplicity of perspectivescorresponding to different 3D angular orientations about the 3D objectcould correspond to perspectives from different positions along arespective curved path exterior to the 3D object and in at least oneplane perpendicular to an axis that passes through the 3D object. Forexample, the different positions could located along a respective curvedpath in each of at least two different planes perpendicular to a commonaxis that passes through the 3D object. Additionally or alternatively,the different positions could be located along a respective curved pathexterior to the 3D object and in each of at least two different planes,each perpendicular to a different axis that passes through the 3Dobject.

As with the discussion of FIG. 1 above, it is contemplated that thevarious concepts and principles of the example embodiments discussedherein in connection with viewing a 3D object with a swivel/360-degreespinner can apply as well to perspectives that may be obtained frominside of a 3D object, for example looking outward. Again, there is noloss in generality by considering primarily exterior perspectives of a3D object.

In accordance with example embodiments, video processing by the computerdevice of the subset of the video frames corresponding to the subset ofthe multiplicity of perspectives traversed by the one or moretrajectories could correspond to displaying video motion of the 3Dobject rotating around the at least one axis, as viewed from aparticular perspective. For example, two or more different axes couldeach pass through the 3D object, and moving on the one or moretrajectories in the display window could correspond to switching betweenat least two of the two or more axes. Then, displaying video motion ofthe 3D object rotating around the at least one axis, as viewed from aparticular perspective could correspond to displaying respectivesegments of video motion of the 3D object rotating around each of the atleast two of the two or more axes in correspondence to switching betweenat least two of the two or more axes.

In further accordance with example embodiments, there could be twotrajectories: a clockwise trajectory and a counterclockwise trajectory(corresponding to a reverse of the clockwise trajectory). Then,displaying video motion of the 3D object rotating around the at leastone axis, as viewed from a particular perspective could correspond todisplaying rotational motion of the 3D object in a clockwise rotationaldirection around the at least one axis in response to motion on theclockwise trajectory, and displaying rotational motion of the 3D objectin a counterclockwise rotational direction around the at least one axisin response to motion on the counterclockwise trajectory.

In further accordance with example embodiments, video processing by thecomputer device of a subset of the video frames corresponding to asubset of the multiplicity of perspectives traversed by the one or moretrajectories could correspond to interpolating video data. Morespecifically, video data from two or more nearby frames could be used tointerpolate video data for perspectives not strictly included in thesubset. By way of example, video frames including perspectives alongrespective paths in each of two different planes could be used tointerpolate video data corresponding to perspectives along aninterpolated path in an interpolated plane. The perspectives along sucha path could be considered interpolated perspectives from differentpositions along a respective curved path in at least one interpolatedplane perpendicular to an interpolated axis that passes through the 3Dobject. Video motion of the 3D object rotating around the at least oneinterpolated axis, as viewed from a particular perspective, could begenerated from the interpolated video data.

In accordance with example embodiments, displaying video motion of the3D object rotating around the at least one axis, as viewed from theparticular perspective could correspond to displaying the video motionin a browser program of the computer device. The browser program couldinclude a video application programming interface (API). By way ofexample, the API could be HTML5.

It will be appreciated that the steps shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are meantto illustrate the respective methods in accordance with exampleembodiments. As such, various steps could be altered or modified, theordering of certain steps could be changed, and additional steps couldbe added, while still achieving the overall desired operation.

Methods in accordance with an example embodiment, such as the ondescribed above, devices, could be implemented using so-called “thinclients” and “cloud-based” server devices, as well as other types ofclient and server devices. Under various aspects of this paradigm,client devices, such as mobile phones and tablet computers, may offloadsome processing and storage responsibilities to remote server devices.At least some of the time, these client services are able tocommunicate, via a network such as the Internet, with the serverdevices. As a result, applications that operate on the client devicesmay also have a persistent, server-based component. Nonetheless, itshould be noted that at least some of the methods, processes, andtechniques disclosed herein may be able to operate entirely on a clientdevice or a server device.

This section describes general system and device architectures for suchclient devices and server devices. However, the methods, devices, andsystems presented in the subsequent sections may operate under differentparadigms as well. Thus, the embodiments of this section are merelyexamples of how these methods, devices, and systems can be enabled.

FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram of a communication system 300, inwhich various embodiments described herein can be employed.Communication system 300 includes client devices 302, 304, and 306,which represent a desktop personal computer (PC), a tablet computer, anda mobile phone, respectively. Client devices could also include wearablecomputing devices, such as head-mounted displays and/or augmentedreality displays, for example. Each of these client devices may be ableto communicate with other devices (including with each other) via anetwork 308 through the use of wireline connections (designated by solidlines) and/or wireless connections (designated by dashed lines).

Network 208 may be, for example, the Internet, or some other form ofpublic or private Internet Protocol (IP) network. Thus, client devices302, 304, and 306 may communicate using packet-switching technologies.Nonetheless, network 308 may also incorporate at least somecircuit-switching technologies, and client devices 302, 304, and 306 maycommunicate via circuit switching alternatively or in addition to packetswitching.

A server device 310 may also communicate via network 308. In particular,server device 310 may communicate with client devices 302, 304, and 306according to one or more network protocols and/or application-levelprotocols to facilitate the use of network-based or cloud-basedcomputing on these client devices. Server device 310 may includeintegrated data storage (e.g., memory, disk drives, etc.) and may alsobe able to access a separate server data storage 312. Communicationbetween server device 310 and server data storage 312 may be direct, vianetwork 308, or both direct and via network 308 as illustrated in FIG.3. Server data storage 312 may store application data that is used tofacilitate the operations of applications performed by client devices302, 304, and 306 and server device 310.

Although only three client devices, one server device, and one serverdata storage are shown in FIG. 3, communication system 300 may includeany number of each of these components. For instance, communicationsystem 300 may comprise millions of client devices, thousands of serverdevices and/or thousands of server data storages. Furthermore, clientdevices may take on forms other than those in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4A is a block diagram of a server device in accordance with anexample embodiment. In particular, server device 400 shown in FIG. 4Acan be configured to perform one or more functions of server device 310and/or server data storage 312. Server device 400 may include a userinterface 402, a communication interface 404, processor 406, and datastorage 408, all of which may be linked together via a system bus,network, or other connection mechanism 414.

User interface 402 may comprise user input devices such as a keyboard, akeypad, a touch screen, a computer mouse, a track ball, a joystick,and/or other similar devices, now known or later developed. Userinterface 402 may also comprise user display devices, such as one ormore cathode ray tubes (CRT), liquid crystal displays (LCD), lightemitting diodes (LEDs), displays using digital light processing (DLP)technology, printers, light bulbs, and/or other similar devices, nowknown or later developed. Additionally, user interface 402 may beconfigured to generate audible output(s), via a speaker, speaker jack,audio output port, audio output device, earphones, and/or other similardevices, now known or later developed. In some embodiments, userinterface 402 may include software, circuitry, or another form of logicthat can transmit data to and/or receive data from external userinput/output devices.

Communication interface 404 may include one or more wireless interfacesand/or wireline interfaces that are configurable to communicate via anetwork, such as network 308 shown in FIG. 3. The wireless interfaces,if present, may include one or more wireless transceivers, such as aBLUETOOTH® transceiver, a Wifi transceiver perhaps operating inaccordance with an IEEE 802.11 standard (e.g., 802.11b, 802.11g,802.11n), a WiMAX transceiver perhaps operating in accordance with anIEEE 802.16 standard, a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) transceiver perhapsoperating in accordance with a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)standard, and/or other types of wireless transceivers configurable tocommunicate via local-area or wide-area wireless networks. The wirelineinterfaces, if present, may include one or more wireline transceivers,such as an Ethernet transceiver, a Universal Serial Bus (USB)transceiver, or similar transceiver configurable to communicate via atwisted pair wire, a coaxial cable, a fiber-optic link or other physicalconnection to a wireline device or network.

In some embodiments, communication interface 404 may be configured toprovide reliable, secured, and/or authenticated communications. For eachcommunication described herein, information for ensuring reliablecommunications (e.g., guaranteed message delivery) can be provided,perhaps as part of a message header and/or footer (e.g., packet/messagesequencing information, encapsulation header(s) and/or footer(s),size/time information, and transmission verification information such ascyclic redundancy check (CRC) and/or parity check values).Communications can be made secure (e.g., be encoded or encrypted) and/ordecrypted/decoded using one or more cryptographic protocols and/oralgorithms, such as, but not limited to, the data encryption standard(DES), the advanced encryption standard (AES), the Rivest, Shamir, andAdleman (RSA) algorithm, the Diffie-Hellman algorithm, and/or theDigital Signature Algorithm (DSA). Other cryptographic protocols and/oralgorithms may be used instead of or in addition to those listed hereinto secure (and then decrypt/decode) communications.

Processor 406 may include one or more general purpose processors (e.g.,microprocessors) and/or one or more special purpose processors (e.g.,digital signal processors (DSPs), graphical processing units (GPUs),floating point processing units (FPUs), network processors, orapplication specific integrated circuits (ASICs)). Processor 406 may beconfigured to execute computer-readable program instructions 310 thatare contained in data storage 408, and/or other instructions, to carryout various functions described herein.

Data storage 408 may include one or more non-transitorycomputer-readable storage media that can be read or accessed byprocessor 406. The one or more computer-readable storage media mayinclude volatile and/or non-volatile storage components, such asoptical, magnetic, organic or other memory or disc storage, which can beintegrated in whole or in part with processor 406. In some embodiments,data storage 408 may be implemented using a single physical device(e.g., one optical, magnetic, organic or other memory or disc storageunit), while in other embodiments, data storage 408 may be implementedusing two or more physical devices.

Data storage 408 may also include program data 412 that can be used byprocessor 406 to carry out functions described herein. In someembodiments, data storage 408 may include, or have access to, additionaldata storage components or devices (e.g., cluster data storagesdescribed below).

Referring again briefly to FIG. 3, server device 310 and server datastorage device 312 may store applications and application data at one ormore locales accessible via network 308. These locales may be datacenters containing numerous servers and storage devices. The exactphysical location, connectivity, and configuration of server device 310and server data storage device 312 may be unknown and/or unimportant toclient devices. Accordingly, server device 310 and server data storagedevice 312 may be referred to as “cloud-based” devices that are housedat various remote locations. One possible advantage of such“cloud-based” computing is to offload processing and data storage fromclient devices, thereby simplifying the design and requirements of theseclient devices.

In some embodiments, server device 310 and server data storage device312 may be a single computing device residing in a single data center.In other embodiments, server device 310 and server data storage device312 may include multiple computing devices in a data center, or evenmultiple computing devices in multiple data centers, where the datacenters are located in diverse geographic locations. For example, FIG. 3depicts each of server device 310 and server data storage device 312potentially residing in a different physical location.

FIG. 4B depicts an example of a cloud-based server cluster. In FIG. 4B,functions of server device 310 and server data storage device 312 may bedistributed among three server clusters 420A, 420B, and 420C. Servercluster 420A may include one or more server devices 400A, cluster datastorage 422A, and cluster routers 424A connected by a local clusternetwork 426A. Similarly, server cluster 420B may include one or moreserver devices 400B, cluster data storage 422B, and cluster routers 424Bconnected by a local cluster network 426B. Likewise, server cluster 420Cmay include one or more server devices 400C, cluster data storage 422C,and cluster routers 424C connected by a local cluster network 426C.Server clusters 420A, 420B, and 420C may communicate with network 408via communication links 428A, 428B, and 428C, respectively.

In some embodiments, each of the server clusters 420A, 420B, and 420Cmay have an equal number of server devices, an equal number of clusterdata storages, and an equal number of cluster routers. In otherembodiments, however, some or all of the server clusters 420A, 420B, and420C may have different numbers of server devices, different numbers ofcluster data storages, and/or different numbers of cluster routers. Thenumber of server devices, cluster data storages, and cluster routers ineach server cluster may depend on the computing task(s) and/orapplications assigned to each server cluster.

In the server cluster 420A, for example, server devices 400A can beconfigured to perform various computing tasks of a server, such asserver device 310. In one embodiment, these computing tasks can bedistributed among one or more of server devices 400A. Server devices400B and 400C in server clusters 420B and 420C may be configured thesame or similarly to server devices 400A in server cluster 420A. On theother hand, in some embodiments, server devices 400A, 400B, and 400Ceach may be configured to perform different functions. For example,server devices 400A may be configured to perform one or more functionsof server device 310, and server devices 400B and server device 400C maybe configured to perform functions of one or more other server devices.Similarly, the functions of server data storage device 312 can bededicated to a single server cluster, or spread across multiple serverclusters.

Cluster data storages 422A, 422B, and 422C of the server clusters 420A,420B, and 420C, respectively, may be data storage arrays that includedisk array controllers configured to manage read and write access togroups of hard disk drives. The disk array controllers, alone or inconjunction with their respective server devices, may also be configuredto manage backup or redundant copies of the data stored in cluster datastorages to protect against disk drive failures or other types offailures that prevent one or more server devices from accessing one ormore cluster data storages.

Similar to the manner in which the functions of server device 310 andserver data storage device 312 can be distributed across server clusters420A, 420B, and 420C, various active portions and/or backup/redundantportions of these components can be distributed across cluster datastorages 422A, 422B, and 422C. For example, some cluster data storages422A, 422B, and 422C may be configured to store backup versions of datastored in other cluster data storages 422A, 422B, and 422C.

Cluster routers 424A, 424B, and 424C in server clusters 420A, 420B, and420C, respectively, may include networking equipment configured toprovide internal and external communications for the server clusters.For example, cluster routers 424A in server cluster 420A may include oneor more packet-switching and/or routing devices configured to provide(i) network communications between server devices 400A and cluster datastorage 422A via cluster network 426A, and/or (ii) networkcommunications between the server cluster 420A and other devices viacommunication link 428A to network 408. Cluster routers 424B and 424Cmay include network equipment similar to cluster routers 424A, andcluster routers 424B and 424C may perform networking functions forserver clusters 420B and 420C that cluster routers 424A perform forserver cluster 420A.

Additionally, the configuration of cluster routers 424A, 424B, and 424Ccan be based at least in part on the data communication requirements ofthe server devices and cluster storage arrays, the data communicationscapabilities of the network equipment in the cluster routers 424A, 424B,and 424C, the latency and throughput of the local cluster networks 426A,426B, 426C, the latency, throughput, and cost of the wide area networkconnections 428A, 428B, and 428C, and/or other factors that maycontribute to the cost, speed, fault-tolerance, resiliency, efficiencyand/or other design goals of the system architecture.

FIG. 5 is a simplified block diagram showing some of the components ofan example client device 500. By way of example and without limitation,client device 500 may be or include a “plain old telephone system”(POTS) telephone, a cellular mobile telephone, a still camera, a videocamera, a fax machine, an answering machine, a computer (such as adesktop, notebook, or tablet computer), a personal digital assistant(PDA), a wearable computing device, a home automation component, adigital video recorder (DVR), a digital TV, a remote control, or someother type of device equipped with one or more wireless or wiredcommunication interfaces.

As shown in FIG. 5, client device 500 may include a communicationinterface 502, a user interface 504, a processor 506, and data storage508, all of which may be communicatively linked together by a systembus, network, or other connection mechanism 510.

Communication interface 502 functions to allow client device 500 tocommunicate, using analog or digital modulation, with other devices,access networks, and/or transport networks. Thus, communicationinterface 502 may facilitate circuit-switched and/or packet-switchedcommunication, such as POTS communication and/or IP or other packetizedcommunication. For instance, communication interface 502 may include achipset and antenna arranged for wireless communication with a radioaccess network or an access point. Also, communication interface 502 maytake the form of a wireline interface, such as an Ethernet, Token Ring,or USB port. Communication interface 502 may also take the form of awireless interface, such as a Wifi, BLUETOOTH®, global positioningsystem (GPS), or wide-area wireless interface (e.g., WiMAX or LTE).However, other forms of physical layer interfaces and other types ofstandard or proprietary communication protocols may be used overcommunication interface 502. Furthermore, communication interface 502may comprise multiple physical communication interfaces (e.g., a Wifiinterface, a BLUETOOTH® interface, and a wide-area wireless interface).

User interface 504 may function to allow client device 500 to interactwith a human or non-human user, such as to receive input from a user andto provide output to the user. Thus, user interface 504 may includeinput components such as a keypad, keyboard, touch-sensitive orpresence-sensitive panel, computer mouse, trackball, joystick,microphone, still camera and/or video camera. User interface 504 mayalso include one or more output components such as a display screen(which, for example, may be combined with a touch-sensitive panel), CRT,LCD, LED, a display using DLP technology, printer, light bulb, and/orother similar devices, now known or later developed. User interface 504may also be configured to generate audible output(s), via a speaker,speaker jack, audio output port, audio output device, earphones, and/orother similar devices, now known or later developed. In someembodiments, user interface 504 may include software, circuitry, oranother form of logic that can transmit data to and/or receive data fromexternal user input/output devices. Additionally or alternatively,client device 500 may support remote access from another device, viacommunication interface 502 or via another physical interface (notshown).

Processor 506 may comprise one or more general purpose processors (e.g.,microprocessors) and/or one or more special purpose processors (e.g.,DSPs, GPUs, FPUs, network processors, or ASICs). Data storage 508 mayinclude one or more volatile and/or non-volatile storage components,such as magnetic, optical, flash, or organic storage, and may beintegrated in whole or in part with processor 506. Data storage 508 mayinclude removable and/or non-removable components.

In general, processor 506 may be capable of executing programinstructions 518 (e.g., compiled or non-compiled program logic and/ormachine code) stored in data storage 508 to carry out the variousfunctions described herein. Therefore, data storage 508 may include anon-transitory computer-readable medium, having stored thereon programinstructions that, upon execution by client device 500, cause clientdevice 500 to carry out any of the methods, processes, or functionsdisclosed in this specification and/or the accompanying drawings. Theexecution of program instructions 518 by processor 506 may result inprocessor 506 using data 512.

By way of example, program instructions 518 may include an operatingsystem 522 (e.g., an operating system kernel, device driver(s), and/orother modules) and one or more application programs 520 (e.g., addressbook, email, web browsing, social networking, and/or gamingapplications) installed on client device 400. Similarly, data 512 mayinclude operating system data 516 and application data 514. Operatingsystem data 516 may be accessible primarily to operating system 522, andapplication data 514 may be accessible primarily to one or more ofapplication programs 520. Application data 514 may be arranged in a filesystem that is visible to or hidden from a user of client device 500.

Application programs 520 may communicate with operating system 512through one or more application programming interfaces (APIs). TheseAPIs may facilitate, for instance, application programs 520 readingand/or writing application data 514, transmitting or receivinginformation via communication interface 502, receiving or displayinginformation on user interface 504, and so on.

In some vernaculars, application programs 520 may be referred to as“apps” for short. Additionally, application programs 520 may bedownloadable to client device 500 through one or more online applicationstores or application markets. However, application programs can also beinstalled on client device 500 in other ways, such as via a web browseror through a physical interface (e.g., a USB port) on client device 500.

As described above, a swivel/360-degree spinner is an interactive,graphical user interface that functions to display a 3D object on adisplay device, while providing a capability to interactively rotate the3D object through a variety of angular orientations. A swivel/360-degreespinner may be implemented in a computer device, such as desktop,laptop, smart phone, smart tablet, or other client device, and as such,may provide the interactive function to a user of the computer device.The client device 500, shown in FIG. 5 and discussed above, is anexample of such a computer device. In a typical implementation, aswivel/360-degree spinner may be used in browser program, for example.An example application is display of products in online advertising, inwhich video-encoded assets may be received by the application inresponse to a request to view a product. Other applications are possibleas well.

Video-encoded assets for a video-capable swivel/360-degree spinner maybe generated by a computer device, such as server device 400 shown inFIG. 4. For generation of video-encoded assets, computer device need notnecessarily be a server or even connected to a network. Oncevideo-encoded assets are generated, they may be stored one or more datafiles (or other organized data formats) on a network-connected server,such as such as server device 400 or server cluster 420(A,B,C), alsodiscussed above.

The discussion below considers only perspectives of a 3D object fromexterior to the object. However, as noted above, for example in thediscussions of FIGS. 1 and 2, example embodiments are not limited toexterior perspectives. Perspectives from inside a 3D object, for examplelooking outward, are possible as well. There is no loss in generalitywith respect to interior perspectives by directing the discussion toexamples involving only exterior perspectives.

A conceptual illustration of producing views of an object from differentperspectives is shown in FIG. 6, which depicts a 3D object 600 fromdifferent perspectives along a planar path about the 3D object, inaccordance with an example embodiment. By way of example, the 3D object600 is shown as viewed from eight different perspectives along anapproximately circular orbit around the object 600. In the top portionof the figure the object 600 is shown face-on with eight perspectivepositions, numbered 1, . . . , 8, located at different points along acircular path. The term “orbit” is used to describe the path along whichperspectives are located, but not necessarily to imply actual dynamicmotion around the object 600. The bottom portion of the figure shows theobject as viewed from each of the eight positions. The views are labeled600-1, 600-2, . . . , 600-8, 600-1 (returning to the first view). In theviews 600-2, 600-4, 600-6, and 600-8, the narrowing of the object 600represents foreshortening without any 3D graphical effects.

Each of the views labeled 600-1, 600-2, . . . , 600-8, 600-1 can beconsidered as corresponding to a separate still image of the object 600.Each still image can be displayed on display device of a computer device(such as device 500) independently of any of the other images. That is,each still image is contains full image data for display.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual illustration of video encoding and compression ofa sequence of images of a 3D object from a multiplicity of perspectives,in accordance with an example embodiment. A set of images 700 is shownin the top portion of the figure. The images, labeled 700-1, 700-2, . .. 700-8, 700-1, correspond to those shown in the bottom portion of FIG.6, and each may be considered a separate, full image. The image set 700could correspond to a conventional asset file, for example. As shown inFIG. 7, the set 700 is input to a video encoding+compression module 702,which generates a video file 704 containing video frames. By way ofexample, the video encoding+compression module 702 could operateaccording to a video protocol such as h.264, webm, or avi, although thescope of the example embodiments is not necessarily limited to theseprotocols. For purpose of conceptual illustrations, the frames show twodifferent full frame views, labeled 1 and 2, and six difference frames,each labeled “Δ.” The video file 704 is shown as being smaller than theinitial asset file 700. This represents the actual smaller data size ofthe compressed video file in comparison with the original asset file.

As is generally known, video encoding takes advantage of a substantialsimilarity of image content in adjacent frames to enable coding of justthe differences between successive video frames rather than completeimage content. This approach works, in particular, for continuousmovement and/or scene content from one frame to the next. Interspersewith the difference frames are full image frames. These may be used, forexample, when a scene changes discontinuously, or as periodic oroccasional reference-setting frames. In the terminology of videoencoding, the full (or largely) full image frames are referred to as“intra-coded” frames, or “I-frames.” Two types of difference frames areused, referred to as “predictive” frames, or “P-frames, and“bi-directional” frames, or “B-frames.” In the context of videoplayback, each frame may include a time stamp to specify temporal orderin a sequence of frames. Each I-frame may be a substantially fulldigital image representing a moment in the video. P-frames and B-frames(bi-directional frames), on the other hand, may define mere changes inrelation to one or more other frames, such as vector displacements froman I-frame and/or other frames. A video display device may present eachI-frame at its time-stamped moment and may then render changes to thepresented image in accordance with P-frames and/or B-frames betweensuccessive I-frames. The result may appear as smooth motion on thedisplay device.

In the context of a video-encoding of assets for a swivel/360-degreespinner, each frame may include a label or tag that specifies aperspective with respect to a 3D object. As described below, thespecified perspective may be used by the swivel/360-degree spinner tocorrelated frames with an orientation or angle input by an interactivecursor, for example, moving on one or another trajectory on the displaydevice. Thus the video encoding+compression module 702 may includeperspective information in the generation of the video asset file 704.By way of illustration, the video frames labeled 1 and 2 in the videoasset file 704 could correspond to I-frames, while the frames labeled Δcould correspond to P-frames or B-frames.

FIG. 8 is a further conceptual illustration of video encoding andcompression of a sequence of images of a 3D object from a multiplicityof perspectives, in accordance with an example embodiment. Thisillustration is similar to that of FIG. 7, but several more perspectivesaround the 3D object are represented. For illustrative purposes, theperspectives at locations between the front and back views of the 3Dobject are rendered in 3D. The asset file 800 is input to a videoencoding+compression module 802, which generates a video file 804containing video frames. Again, the frames show two different full frameviews, labeled 1 and 2, which could be I-frames, and six differenceframes, each labeled Δ, which could be P-frames or B-frames. Once more,the video file 804 is shown as being smaller than the initial asset file800. The video file may also include perspective information, such asangular orientation with respect to the 3D object, associated with eachvideo frame.

FIG. 9 is a conceptual illustration of video encoding and compression ofa sequence of images of a 3D object from a multiplicity of perspectivesalong curves in different planes that pass through the 3D object, inaccordance with an example embodiment. By way of example, apparentlycircular orbits on four different planes are shown. Each of the fourplanes passes through the object 900 at a different angle. Images fromdifferent points along each orbit are concatenated or “stacked” insub-segments or “strips” of an asset file 910. Images from along orbit902 are stacked in strip 910-2; images from along orbit 904 are stackedin strip 910-4; images from along orbit 906 are stacked in strip 910-6;and images from along orbit 908 are stacked in strip 910-8.

The asset file 910 is then input to a video encoding+compression module912, which generates a video file 914 containing video frames. The videoframes are organized in four sub-segments, one each corresponding to oneof the sub-segments of the asset file 910. It will be appreciate thatthe number and orientations of the orbits shown in FIG. 9 are onlyexamples, and that other arrangements are possible as well.

The different perspectives shown as being located along one or anotherof the orbits 902, 904, 906, and 906 do not necessarily have to beacquired or generated strictly in order along those orbits or in atemporal order corresponding to their spatial order. For example, amultiplicity of perspectives could be distributed uniformly (orapproximately so) on a sphere centered approximately on the 3D object900. Subsequently, sub-sequences of perspectives from the multiplicitycould be identified according to their location on or within a thresholddistance of a particular orbit. A sequence of images corresponding toeach such sub-sequence identified could then be one of a plurality ofstrips, such as strips 910-2, 910-4, 910-6, or 910-8 that arecollectively video encoded, as in the illustration of FIG. 9.

In further accordance with example embodiments, sub-sequencesperspectives need not necessarily be arranged in curves in a plane. Forexample, sub-sequences could correspond to clusters of perspectives onthe sphere of perspectives described above. Using such an arrangement,sub-sequences of images from different perspectives could be constructedas patches of clustered images covering (or partially covering) thesphere. The ordering of perspectives in a cluster could be one oranother pattern thought the points of the cluster. Example patternscould include a spiral, a zig-zag, and an ordered lattice, among otherpossibilities. Each sub-sequence of images could then be included in theimage asset file, and encoded into corresponding sub-sequences of videoframe. Further still, sub-sequences of images could be arranged bothalong planar curves and in clusters, and the encoded video file couldthus contain corresponding video frames. As in the previous examples,the video file may also include perspective information, such as angularorientation with respect to the 3D object, associated with each videoframe.

There are various ways to characterize perspective positions around anobject. The concept of an orbit around the object can be parameterizedin terms of an orbital plane, and an angular rotation about the object.FIG. 10 illustrates the geometry of different orbital planes about a 3Dobject 1000, in accordance with an example embodiment. In the figure,angular motion 1002-A around a z-axis corresponds to an orbit in thexy-plane with motion 1002-B. Similarly, angular motion 1004-A around anx-axis corresponds to an orbit in the yz-plane with motion 1004-B; andangular motion 1006-A around a y-axis corresponds to an orbit in thexz-plane with motion 1006-B.

It should be understood that the term “motion” as used in relation tothe various perspectives of an object is not intended to convey that animage capture device, such as a digital camera, is in actual motionaround the object. Rather, the rendering to perspective images intovideo form yields video frames that when processed and displayed on avideo display give the appearance of the object rotating about one ofthe axes, as if the image capture device was moving along one or more ofthe orbits when the images were captured or generated. In the context ofa swivel/360-degree spinner, the apparent motion is controlled by aninteractive cursor dragging the object through the various perspectivesrepresented in the video frames (or interpolated between video frames).

The video-compressed asset file or files can be stored on a server in anetwork, and accessed by a client device for video display processing ata later time.

FIG. 11 illustrates interactive rotation of an image of a 3D object in adisplay, in accordance with an example embodiment. A client device,represented by way of example as a tablet 1110, has a swivel/360-degreespinner component 1114. The component 1114, which could includehardware, software, and firmware elements, includes a videodecoding+video display processing module 1114-A, and a display device1114-B. In particular, the video processing and display capabilities ofthe swivel/360-degree spinner may be base, at least in part, on nativecapabilities of the tablet 1110 and/or of a browser or other program ofthe tablet 1110. A video-encoded asset file 1116 is depicted as loadedinto the swivel/360-degree spinner. For example, the file 1116 couldhave been downloaded from a server or other remote device (not shown inthe figure). An interactive cursor 1112 dragging a 3D object throughvarious angular orientations represented by way of example by a stylus.

The upper left portion of the figure recreates the orbits and orbitalplanes of FIG. 10. However, in FIG. 11, the orbits and orbital planesaround an object 1100 represent perspectives interactively selected by aswivel/360-degree spinner as the stylus 1112 moves in a trajectoryacross the display plane of the tablet 1110. By way of example, as thestylus moves across the display plane in different trajectories, theorientations in the orbits move along arc 1102 in the xz-plane, to thearc 1104 in the xy-plane, to the arc 1106 in the yz-plane. For purposesof illustration, these path segments are shown as being video encoded insub-segments 1116-1, 1116-3, and 1116-4 of the video asset file 1116.Also for purposes of illustration, the sub-segment 1116-2 evidentlycontains no video frames corresponding to the three arcs, and so it isskipped in processing by the swivel/360-degree spinner.

By way of example, the stylus is shown as traversing three trajectoriesin the display plane of the tablet 1110; they are labeled incorrespondence with video asset sub-segments processed by theswivel/360-degree spinner. A rendering of 3D object 1100 shown in thedisplay of the tablet 1110 is shown in different orientations, meant torepresent smooth angular motion as the swivel/360-degree spinner rotatesit in correspondence with motion of the stylus 1112.

In accordance with example embodiments, as the stylus moves across oneor the other of the trajectories, the swivel/360-degree spinner maps thetrajectory to an angular orientation about the 3D object 1100. Themapped angular orientation may then be used to identify which videoframes to process and display. In the example, motion along thetrajectory 1116-1 is mapped to the sequence of video frames with thesame label, 1116-1. These video frames could correspond to the arc 1102,for example, in the upper left portion of FIG. 11. Also by way ofexample, motion along the trajectory 1116-3 is mapped to the sequence ofvideo frames with the same label, 1116-3. These video frames couldcorrespond to the arc 1104. The video frames of the sequence 1116-2could correspond to an extension of the arc 1102 in the xz-plane abovex=0. However, in this illustration, the trajectory 1116-3 corresponds torotation in the xy-plane, along the arc 1104. Consequently, the sequence1116-2 is skipped over by the swivel/360-degree spinner in thisillustrative example. Finally, motion along the trajectory 1116-4 ismapped to the sequence of video frames with the same label, 1116-4,corresponding to the 1106.

It will be appreciated that the illustration shown in FIG. 11 is justone example of operation of a video-enabled swivel/360-degree spinner,and is not intended to limit the scope of example embodiments.

An illustrative embodiment has been described by way of example herein.Those skilled in the art will understand, however, that changes andmodifications may be made to this embodiment without departing from thetrue scope and spirit of the elements, products, and methods to whichthe embodiment is directed, which is defined by the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: generating a respectivestill image of a three-dimensional (3D) object from each of amultiplicity of perspectives from along one or more curves about the 3Dobject, each of the one or more curves lying in a different one of twoor more planes passing through the 3D object at different spatialangles, the multiplicity of perspectives corresponding at least todifferent 3D angular orientations about the 3D object, each respectivestill image comprising respective data for display on an interactivedisplay device, and each being one of a plurality of still images of the3D object; determining an ordering of the multiplicity of perspectivescorresponding to minimally differential changes in 3D angularorientation from one of the different 3D angular orientations to thenext, wherein the determined ordering includes at least two consecutiveperspectives of the multiplicity each from a different one of the two ormore planes having a non-zero angle between them; constructing asequence of still images by ordering successive still images of theplurality in correspondence to the determined ordering of themultiplicity of perspectives; and prior to display on the interactivedisplay device, encoding the constructed sequence of still images with avideo encoder to generate a compressed video-format rendering of thesequence of still images, wherein the compressed video-format renderingof the sequence of still images is smaller in total data volume than asum of all of the still images of the sequence.
 2. The method of claim1, wherein generating the respective still image of the 3D object fromeach of the multiplicity of perspectives comprises generating a stillimage of the 3D object viewed from each of the multiplicity ofperspectives exterior to the 3D object.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein generating the respective still image of the 3D object from eachof the multiplicity of perspectives comprises generating a digitalphotograph of the 3D object viewed from each of the multiplicity ofperspectives.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating therespective still image of the 3D object from each of the multiplicity ofperspectives comprises generating a 3D visual rendering of the 3D objectviewed from each of the multiplicity of perspectives with acomputer-based 3D graphics tool.
 5. The method of claim 1, whereingenerating the respective still image of the 3D object from each of themultiplicity of perspectives comprises generating each respective stillimage from a different position along the one or more curves.
 6. Themethod of claim 5, wherein generating each respective still image from adifferent position along the one or more curves comprises generatingstill images from different positions along a respective curved path ineach of at least two different planes perpendicular to a common axisthat passes through the 3D object.
 7. The method of claim 5, whereingenerating each respective still image from a different position alongthe one or more curves comprises generating still images from differentpositions along a respective curved path in each of at least twodifferent planes, each perpendicular to a different axis that passesthrough the 3D object.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining theordering of the multiplicity of perspectives comprises identifying fromamong the multiplicity a subset of perspectives that are each locatedwithin a threshold distance of a different sequential point on arespective curved path in at least one plane perpendicular to an axisthat passes through the 3D object.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein therespective curved path in the at least one plane perpendicular to theaxis that passes through the 3D object comprises a respective curvedpath in each of at least two different planes perpendicular to a commonaxis that passes through the 3D object.
 10. The method of claim 8,wherein the respective curved path in the at least one planeperpendicular to the axis that passes through the 3D object comprises arespective curved path in each of at least two different planes, eachperpendicular to a different axis that passes through the 3D object. 11.The method of claim 1, wherein, the determined ordering of themultiplicity of perspectives comprises an order from a first perspectiveto a last perspective, and wherein constructing the sequence of stillimages by ordering the successive still images of the plurality incorrespondence to the determined ordering of the multiplicity ofperspectives comprises constructing a forward sequence of still imagesby ordering the successive still images of the plurality incorrespondence to an ordering from the first perspective to the lastperspective.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein encoding the constructedsequence of still images with the video encoder to generate thecompressed video-format rendering of the sequence of still imagescomprises generating a sequence of video frames corresponding to viewingthe 3D object from a particular perspective as the particularperspective moves in at least one direction along a respective curvedpath in at least one plane perpendicular to an axis that passes throughthe 3D object.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the respective curvedpath in the at least one plane perpendicular to the axis that passesthrough the 3D object comprises a respective curved path in each of atleast two different planes perpendicular to a common axis that passesthrough the 3D object.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein therespective curved path in the at least one plane perpendicular to theaxis that passes through the 3D object comprises a respective curvedpath in each of at least two different planes, each perpendicular to adifferent axis that passes through the 3D object.
 15. The method ofclaim 12, wherein generating the sequence of video frames correspondingto viewing the 3D object from the particular perspective as theparticular perspective moves in the at least one direction along therespective curved path comprises generating a sub-sequence of videoframes corresponding to viewing the 3D object from the particularperspective as the particular perspective moves in the one directionalong the respective curved path.
 16. The method of claim 12, whereingenerating the sequence of video frames corresponding to viewing the 3Dobject from the particular perspective as the particular perspectivemoves in the at least one direction along the respective curved pathcomprises generating a sequence of video frames corresponding to viewingthe 3D object from the particular perspective as the 3D object isrotated about the axis.
 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the videoencoder is configured to operate according to a protocol selected fromthe list consisting of h.264, webm, and avi.
 18. A system comprising:one or more processors; memory; and machine-readable instructions storedin the memory, that upon execution by the one or more processors causethe system to carry out operations comprising: generating a respectivestill image of a three-dimensional (3D) object from each of amultiplicity of perspectives from along one or more curves about the 3Dobject, each of the one or more curves lying in a different one of twoor more planes passing through the 3D object at different spatialangles, the multiplicity of perspectives corresponding at least todifferent 3D angular orientations about the 3D object, each respectivestill image comprising respective data for display on an interactivedisplay device, and each being one of a plurality of still images of the3D object, determining an ordering of the multiplicity of perspectivescorresponding to minimally differential changes in 3D angularorientation from one of the different 3D angular orientations to thenext, wherein the determined ordering includes at least two consecutiveperspectives of the multiplicity each from a different one of the two ormore planes having a non-zero angle between them, constructing asequence of still images by ordering successive still images of theplurality in correspondence to the determined ordering of themultiplicity of perspectives, and prior to display on the interactivedisplay device, encoding the constructed sequence of still images with avideo encoder to generate a compressed video-format rendering of thesequence of still images, wherein the compressed video-format renderingof the sequence of still images is smaller in total data volume than asum of all of the still images of the sequence.
 19. The system of claim18, wherein generating the respective still image of the 3D object fromeach of the multiplicity of perspectives comprises generating one of (i)a still image of the 3D object viewed from each of the multiplicity ofperspectives exterior to the 3D object, or (ii) a digital photograph ofthe 3D object viewed from each of the multiplicity of perspectives. 20.The system of claim 18, wherein generating the respective still image ofthe 3D object from each of the multiplicity of perspectives comprisesgenerating a 3D visual rendering of the 3D object viewed from each ofthe multiplicity of perspectives with a computer-based 3D graphics tool.21. The system of claim 18, wherein generating the respective stillimage of the 3D object from each of the multiplicity of perspectivescomprises generating each respective still image from a differentposition along the one or more curves.
 22. The system of claim 21,wherein generating each respective still image from a different positionalong the one or more curves comprises generating still images fromdifferent positions along a respective curved path in each of at leasttwo different planes, wherein the two different planes are one of (i)perpendicular to a common axis that passes through the 3D object, or(ii) are each perpendicular to a different axis that passes through the3D object.
 23. The system of claim 18, wherein determining the orderingof the multiplicity of perspectives comprises identifying from among themultiplicity a subset of perspectives that are each located within athreshold distance of a different sequential point on a respectivecurved path in at least one plane perpendicular to an axis that passesthrough the 3D object.
 24. The system of claim 23, wherein therespective curved path in the at least one plane perpendicular to theaxis that passes through the 3D object comprises a respective curvedpath in each of at least two different planes, wherein the two differentplanes are one of (i) perpendicular to a common axis that passes throughthe 3D object, or (ii) are each perpendicular to a different axis thatpasses through the 3D object.
 25. The system of claim 18, wherein, thedetermined ordering of the multiplicity of perspectives comprises anorder from a first perspective to a last perspective, and whereinconstructing the sequence of still images by ordering the successivestill images of the plurality in correspondence to the determinedordering of the multiplicity of perspectives comprises constructing aforward sequence of still images by ordering the successive still imagesof the plurality in correspondence to an ordering from the firstperspective to the last perspective.
 26. The system of claim 18, whereinencoding the constructed sequence of still images with the video encoderto generate the compressed video-format rendering of the sequence ofstill images comprises generating a sequence of video framescorresponding to viewing the 3D object from a particular perspective asthe particular perspective moves in at least one direction along arespective curved path in at least one plane perpendicular to an axisthat passes through the 3D object.
 27. The system of claim 26, whereinthe respective curved path in the at least one plane perpendicular tothe axis that passes through the 3D object comprises a respective curvedpath in each of at least two different planes, wherein the two differentplanes are one of (i) perpendicular to a common axis that passes throughthe 3D object, or (ii) are each perpendicular to a different axis thatpasses through the 3D object.
 28. The system of claim 26, whereingenerating the sequence of video frames corresponding to viewing the 3Dobject from the particular perspective as the particular perspectivemoves in the at least one direction along the respective curved pathcomprises generating a sub-sequence of video frames corresponding toviewing the 3D object from the particular perspective as one of (i) theparticular perspective moves in the one direction along the respectivecurved path, or (ii) the 3D object is rotated about the axis.
 29. Thesystem of claim 18, wherein the video encoder is configured to operateaccording to a protocol selected from the list consisting of h.264,webm, and avi.
 30. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium,having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by oneor more processors of a system, cause the system to perform operationscomprising: generating a respective still image of a three-dimensional(3D) object from each of a multiplicity of perspectives from along oneor more curves about the 3D object, each of the one or more curves lyingin a different one of two or more planes passing through the 3D objectat different spatial angles, the multiplicity of perspectivescorresponding at least to different 3D angular orientations about the 3Dobject, each respective still image comprising respective data fordisplay on a display device, and each being one of a plurality of stillimages of the 3D object; determining an ordering of the multiplicity ofperspectives corresponding to minimally differential changes in 3Dangular orientation from one of the different 3D angular orientations tothe next, wherein the determined ordering includes at least twoconsecutive perspectives of the multiplicity each from a different oneof the two or more planes having a non-zero angle between them;constructing a sequence of still images by ordering successive stillimages of the plurality in correspondence to the determined ordering ofthe multiplicity of perspectives; and prior to display on theinteractive display device, encoding the constructed sequence of stillimages with a video encoder to generate a compressed video-formatrendering of the sequence of still images, wherein the compressedvideo-format rendering of the sequence of still images is smaller intotal data volume than a sum of all of the still images of thesequences.
 31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 30, wherein generating the respective still image of the 3D objectfrom each of the multiplicity of perspectives comprises generating oneof (i) a still image of the 3D object viewed from each of themultiplicity of perspectives exterior to the 3D object, or (ii) adigital photograph of the 3D object viewed from each of the multiplicityof perspectives.
 32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumof claim 30, wherein generating the respective still image of the 3Dobject from each of the multiplicity of perspectives comprisesgenerating each respective still image from a different position alongthe one or more curves.
 33. The non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of claim 30, wherein, the determined ordering of the multiplicityof perspectives comprises an order from a first perspective to a lastperspective, and wherein constructing the sequence of still images byordering the successive still images of the plurality in correspondenceto the determined ordering of the multiplicity of perspectives comprisesconstructing a forward sequence of still images by ordering thesuccessive still images of the plurality in correspondence to anordering from the first perspective to the last perspective.
 34. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, whereinencoding the constructed sequence of still images with the video encoderto generate the compressed video-format rendering of the sequence ofstill images comprises generating a sequence of video framescorresponding to viewing the 3D object from a particular perspective asthe particular perspective moves in at least one direction along arespective curved path in at least one plane perpendicular to an axisthat passes through the 3D object.
 35. The non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the video encoderis configured to operate according to a protocol selected from the listconsisting of h.264, webm, and avi.